Siphon pump



L. R. CRUMP SIPHON PUMP Oct. 14, 1958 2 Sheets- Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 26,1954 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS.

Oct. 14, 1 958 L. R. CRUMP SIPHON PUMP Filed Oct. 26, 1954 2Sheets-Sheet 2 .Loyd R.

INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Cl d/72p United States Patent SIPHON PUMP Lloyd R.Crump, Silver Spring, Md.

Application October 26, 1954, Serial No. 464,808

2 Claims. (Cl. 103-236) This invention relates to an improved siphonpump for raising the level of water or other fluids to a level higherthan can be accomplished by a regular siphon pump available on the openmarket at the present time.

It is an object of this invention to provide a novel improved siphonpump of the kind to be more particularly described hereinafter having aplurality of superposed or raised part siphon pumps arranged together ina coassisting manner whereby one of the pumps assists another so thatthe resulting eflect of the cascaded siphon pumps may be used at anyheight, above sea level, greater than by cascaded siphon pumps presentlyobtainable.

It is another object of this invention to provide a series of correlatedor cascaded siphon pumps which may be used in place of a mechanical pumpto raise the level of the fluid being pumped to any level Within therealm of .atmospheric pressure with the resulting effect of a greatmoney saving to the builder or user of such pump.

The basic principle of this device is to remove a portion of water orliquid at the highest point of a siphon. Then by the use of the lowpressure thus created in the siphon at this point, introduce atmosphericpressure at a point in the siphon in such a wayas to further raise thewater level. The system once in operation is automatic and uses only theflow of the siphon as energy.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will behereinafter described and the novel features thereof defined in theappended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly broken away, of a plurality of mynovel syphon pumps arranged in cascade.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly broken away and partly in section, ofone of my improved novel siphon pumps separated from any cascade towhich it may be attached.

This invention while relating to an improved siphon pump is actuated inmuch the same manner as the conventional type of siphon pump but usesatmospheric pressure in such a way as to raise the level of the watercoming from the pump to a level much higher than that which can beattained by a present pump. The system when once in operation isautomatic and uses only the flow of fluid in the siphon for the energy.The difference between the regular siphon and the present invention isthat the fluid is removed and low pressure used at the highest point ofthe system. In a regular siphon as water flows through the siphon tubeeach gallon goes in one direction, up, another gallon shall come downregardless of the difference in pipe sizes.

In this siphon there will be a solid column of water up with an equalcolumn of water plus air coming down, because of this more waterrgoes upthan comes down. It will be understood that the discharge side of thesiphon terminates at a point substantially below the intake.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 10designates generally an improved novel siphon pump constructed accordingto an embodiment of my invention. The novel pump 10 includes a fluidtank 11 for which fluid may be supplied at any conventional source offluid supply as a creek, pond, lake or other suitable source of fluidsupply. I

Fluid is supplied to the fluid tank 11 through a fluid inlet tube 12 theupper end of which is communicated with the upper side or end of thetank 11 with the lower end of the inlet tube 12 submerged in the sourceof fluid supply, not shown in thedrawings.

Tubes 14 and 42 are portions of the siphon. Water goes up tube 12,through 14, and down 42. Water enters the tank 11 through the valve 34.When the fluid is within the tank 11 a fluid level 16 is maintainedtherein, there being a fluid inlet valve 17 at the juncture "of thefluid inlet tube and the tank 11 as clearly noted in Fig. 2 of thedrawings. The fluid inlet valve 17 is a float controlled type of valvewhich valve is then controlled by the position of the float 18 withinthe filled tank 11.

A similar air discharge valve 19 is located at the juncture of the tube14 and the tank. This discharge valve 19 is also of a float control typeso that the particular description of the inlet valve 17 and dischargevalve 19 will be substantially the same. The valves thus describedemploy a valve core 20 which is engageable with a valve seat 21 forstopping the flow through the valve.

By the structure and arrangement of this invention both of the valvesoperate at the same time and by the same means, the float 18. Aconnecting bar 22 is aptly connected to both of the valves 17 and 19which connecting bar operates substantially as a stem for each of thevalves controlled by the float 18.

There is an elongated valve stem 24 connected to the connecting arm 22,intermediate the length thereof and one end of the stem is connected oractuated by the float 18. A portion of the stem extends above theconnecting arm 22 with a portion extending therebelow and the downwardlyextending portion of the stem is bent or formed with a foot 25 to beactuated in its up and down position by the U-shaped yoke 26 which isconnected between the float 18 and both of the valves, the yoke 26 isprovided with an arm 27 connected to the bight portion of the U-shapedyoke.

There is a connecting rod 28 connecting the float 18 to the yoke 26 at aperpendicularly arranged arm 29 on the yoke 26 intermediate the lengthof the arm 27 and spaced from the bight portion of the yoke. In thismanner the level of the float within the tank will determine the openingand closing of the inlet and outlet discharge valves depending upon thebuoyant relation of the float in the fluid within the tank.

Also actuated by the float 18 there is an air inlet valve 30 between thefluid inlet and air discharge valves 17 and 19 respectively which airinlet valve includes an air inlet valve core 31 and an air inlet valveseat 32 in which the core 31 is engageable.

There is provided an air check valve 34 intermediate the length of thefluid inlet valve 17, this air check valve including a core 35engageable Within an air check valve seat 36 so that the water is onlyfree to travel in one direction toward the connection of the fluid inlettube 12 at the tank 11.

An elbow 37 will connect a short length of tube 38 to one end of theinlet tube 12 above the tank 11 and the valve pipe 39 also at the upperend of the fluid inlet tube 12, clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

The valve pipe 39 is formed as a connecting pipe, transversely of thefluid tank 11, for connecting the fluid inlet tube 12 to the tube 14 andthen there is a gate valve 40, intermediate the length of the valve pipe39 to control the flow of liquid through the valve pipe 39 from theinlet tube 12. This gate valve is under the control of a personoperating this improved novel siphon pump by way of a handle 41 which isfirmly attached to the gate valve To control the discharge of air fromthe tank 11 there is provided a valve 44 between the tank and tube 14which is under the control of a handle 45 thereon, this handle beingunder the control of an operator using this novel type of siphon pump.

As this siphon pump may be used in places where it is desired to locatethe level of the water lifted thereby a plurality of tanks may bearranged in a cascade arrangement with the tank 51 spaced above thefirst mentioned tank 11 and connected thereto by inlet tube 52 whichprojects into the tank 11 and is terminated therein so that the tank 51will derive its source of fluid from the first mentioned tank ratherthan from an arbitrary source of supply for the liquid to be handled bythe cascaded tanks for this pump;

This latter mentioned tank 51 is formed substantially in the same manneras the tank 11 having an air check valve 54 at the juncture of the inlettube 52 to the second mentioned tank 51.

A second arrangement of float controlled valves for the water inlet andair outlet of this tank 51 are designated generally by the referencenumeral 55 in the drawings although the structure and arrangement of thefloat and valves of the latter tank are substantially the same as thosedescribed above.

Above the tank 51 there is provided another tank 61 which in turn isconnected to the tank 51 by an inlet tube 62 this latter tank 61 beingunder the control of an air valve 65. and other inlet and dischargevalves as those described above for the other tanks.

This tank 61, being the highest in the cascade has a separate tube 66extending from the bottom surface thereof from which the fluid in thelatter tank may be drained when and as desired. A check valve 67 at thejuncture of the drain pipe 66 in the uppermost tank 61 will provide forthe filling of the uppermost tank after it has been drained.

All of the tanks, described above, make their air discharge into acommon discharge pipe 68 which is connected to the outer end of all ofthe discharge tubes of the various tanks.

To put this pump into operation the following procedure is followed.Pipes l2 and 42 are the legs of the siphon with pipe 42 as the lowerlevel leg. A suitable manually controlled valve 420 in pipe 12 may beconnected to a conventional back vacuum pump (not shown) or the like,for the purpose of initially creating a partial vacuum in pipe 42 tostart the operation of the pump. Valve 40 is normally controlled to turnthe siphon on or off. With this valve open, the siphon is started byfilling the two legs with water, a partial vacuum being created byopening the valve 42a to start the siphon action in a known manner. Whena solid column of water flows up leg 12 and down leg 42, valve 44 isopened manually in tank A. This valve is a restricted air device, as toomuch air in the siphon will cause the water to fall in both legs. Thevolume of air 43 that the siphon will safely handle depends upon thesize of the pipes used for the siphon and the difference in the siphonlevels. As valve 44 is opened air rushes from the tank into the siphondepending upon the restriction of the valve or restriction placed inpipe. Leg 42 now has part air 43 and part water flowing down. A solidcolumn of water flows up pipelZ. As air 43 makes up part of the volumeof the column in leg 42, more water flows up tube 12 than flows downtube 42. The extra volume of water flows into tank 11 and is captured orstored. As tank 11 is filling, the float and lever begin to function.When the tank is full this lever closes valves 17 and 19 and opens 30.Valve 17 is the water inlet into tank. Valve 19 is the air inlet intothe siphon, and valve 31 opens the tank to atmospheric pressure. At thispoint of operation a solid column of water flows up pipe 12 and downpipe 42. The restricted air valve 55 in tank 51 is now opened. Tank 51is empty so the float is down and the lever has the water inlet and airoutlet valves open and atmospheric pressure valve closed. As valve 55 intank 51 is opened,

.4 air rushes from tank 51 down pipe 68 into the siphon. Atmosphericpressure pushes the water from tank 11 up pipe 52 into tank 51. As tank11 empties into tank 51 the float and lever of tank 11 drop. When tank11 is empty the lever closes valve 30 from atmospheric pressure andopens 17 and 19. Tank 11 begins to refill. In case tank 51 has not beentimed correctly and has not completely filled inlet and outlet valves oftank 51 remain open and the atmospheric pressure valve remains closed.Check valve 54 has dropped into place to isolate tank 11 from tank 51,which might be open to the air while tank 11 is refilling. Then tank 11completely fills tank 51. The float and lever in tank 51 now closes theWater inlet and air outlet valves and opens the atmospheric pressurevalve bringing tank 51 to atmospheric pressure.

The restricted air valve in tank 61 is now opened. As valve 65 in tank61 is opened air rushes from the tank down pipe 63 into the siphon.Atmospheric pressure pushes the water from tank 51 into tank 61.

When tank 61 is full, the float and lever close the valves and opens thetank to atmospheric pressure. The valve 67 opens when valve 30 of tank61 is opened to atmospheric pressure and allows tank 61 to empty bygravity. The valve 67 closes upon the cessation of water flow from thetank, to enable a partial vacuum to be created in tank 61 to permit therefilling of the tank 61. The complete system is timed for bestcfiiciency but is not necessarily a function of the pump.

While the specific details of one embodiment of this invention have beenherein shown and described, the invention is not confined thereto aschanges and alterations may be made without departing from the spiritand scope thereof as defined in the amended claims.

I claim:

1. A siphon pump comprising an inverted U-Shaped pipe, the parallel legsof said pipe being vertical and one leg being shorter than the other legand adapted to connect with a source of Water and constituting an intakeleg with the other leg constituting the discharge leg, manual valvemeans connected to said discharge leg for causing the filling of saiddischarge leg with fluid to cause a siphon action upon starting thepump, and said discharge leg terminating below said intake leg, thebight of said pipe being horizontal, a tank disposed adjacent saidbight, a liquid intake pipe connected at one end to the top of saidtank, said bight having an outlet port in the upper side thereof, avalve housing encompassing said port and connected to said intake pipe,a check valve in said housing normally closing said port, a second pipeconnecting said bight and said tank at a point downstream relative tothe direction of flow from said intake pipe, a manually operated valvein said second pipe, a valve seat at the lower end of said intake pipeand said second pipe, a pair of float operated valve plugs in said tankconfronting said valve seats, a connecting bar secured between said pairof float operated valve plugs, 21 float rockably carried by said tank,an air inlet valve in said tank between said valve plugs operated bysaid float, said air inlet valve closing said tank to atmosphericpressure during filling of said tank, means including a U-shaped yokeconnected between said float and said connecting bar for moving saidvalve plugs to open or closed position with movement of said float, aplurality of superposed tanks, and siphon means including said inletpipe and said second pipe connected to said tanks and said U-shapedpipe.

2. A siphon pump as set forth in claim 1 wherein said siphon meansincludes a vertical intake pipe for each of said superposed tanks, andan air discharge pipe connected between said tanks and the discharge legof said lJ-shaped pipe.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNiTED STATES PATENTS832,764 Wood Oct; 9, i906

